Behavior of palladium-copper catalysts for CO and NO elimination

The behavior of a series of palladium and palladium-copper catalysts supported on ceria/alumina for the CO + NO + O-2 reaction has been analyzed by a combination of electron transmission microscopy, infrared, and electron paramagnetic spectroscopies and catalytic test studies. In both systems, the catalytic behavior is dominated by the properties of the metal-ceria interface. The addition of copper to a palladium system leads to beneficial effects related to alloy formation in which both CO and NO elimination are enhanced. The chemical consequences and catalytic implications of Pd-Cu alloying are discussed. (C) 2000 Academic Press.